General elections set for June 2 in Amory, Smithville, Gattman

HED: General elections set for June 2 in Amory, Smithville, Gattman
By CHRIS WILSON
Senior Writer
Voters will be going to the polls one more time in the City of Amory for the general election Tuesday. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the old National Guard armory.
While only one race, Ward 1 alderman, will be contested on the ballot, all races will be on it, including candidates who are running unopposed.
The Ward 1 Alderman race is the only race that was not determined previously by the Democratic Primary and runoff elections held May 5 and May 19.
Democratic winner Buddy Carlisle will face Independent candidate Rex Coker for Ward 1.
Carlisle had defeated incumbent Dan Rogers in the May 5 primary election.
All other seats on Amory’s board were determined already, but by law must be on the general election ballot and receive at least one vote.
Mayor Howard Boozer was reelected, and Bill Lyle won the Ward 4 alderman seat when Barry Woods pulled out of the runoff. Tommy Wilkerson won the alderman-at-large seat in a runoff election against incumbent Glen Bingham.
Running unopposed are Police Chief Ronnie Bowen, Ward 2 Alderman John Darden and Ward 3 Alderman Tony Poss. The city clerk position is no longer an elected position but will be appointed by the new board of aldermen.
Absentee voting is currently under way for the general election. The city clerk’s office will be open on Saturday, May 30, for absentee voting.
Mailed absentee ballots must be received by the clerk’s office by 5 p.m. Monday, June 1.
Other Elections
In other area municipalities, Nettleton’s races were all determined by its primary election on May 5.
There will also not be a need for an election in the town of Hatley because there was only one candidate seeking each post. Mayor will be “Pete” Vaughan, III; Ward 1 alderman – Gary Johnson (i); Ward 2 alderman – Joe Benton (i); Ward 3 alderman – Sarah Morgan; Ward 4 alderman – George King (i); and alderman-at-large – Justin Farrar.
In the town of Smithville, the general election will be held at the community center with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Seeking alderman positions will be Hansel “Hank” Hood, Theodore Riggan (i), Joyce Avery (i), Ruth Whitehead (i), Johnny Snow (i) and Jimmy Dabbs (i). Mayor Gregg Kennedy is running unopposed.
In Gattman the community center is the polling place. There are five alderman seats with the following candidates seeking those posts: Wayne Downey (i), Elizabeth McKay (i), Tommie Jean Bailey (i), Edna West (i), Caroline Scotty Bellamy, Danny L. Scott, Jamie R. Tucker. Sherlon Scott is running unopposed for mayor.